


the grudging Mrs. Swan

by red_streaks



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Road Trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 02:18:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3792919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_streaks/pseuds/red_streaks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Excuse me, but I think you would make a lovely Swan. It’s got a nice ring to it, Regina Sw-” Emma stopped shortly as Regina froze in front of her, the words hanging awkwardly while she surveyed the room.  The entire room was bathed in a low red that made the bed stand out in the middle of the room. Regina was still standing in the doorway when Emma gave her a hard push and barreled through. </p><p>“Regina, the bed is heart shaped!” And indeed the bed was shaped like a heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the grudging Mrs. Swan

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked for a swan queen road trip,
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

One of Emma’s ridiculous playlists was humming in the background as Regina drove in the rain, her fingers drumming out the beat on the steering wheel as subtly as she could. She stole quick glances at her sleeping companion; Emma, in her fit to get comfortable, was now curled up facing Regina, one hand over her eyes, and the other lost underneath her.

Regina tutted at how ridiculous and uncomfortable (adorable??) Emma looked, drooling on the seat and twitching every so often. Taking advantage of Emma’s unconsciousness, Regina reached out and brushed back the tangled hair that was sticking to the edge of her mouth. As Regina tucked another lose strand behind her ear, Emma stirred a little, making Regina scold herself none too lightly at her carelessness.

Thick drops of rains pounded on the windshield, the dark sky and empty roads both relaxing Regina and making her more cautious on the road. She snuck another glance at Emma, her blonde hair pooled around her face contrasting starkly with the fading light outside the car, and Regina couldn’t help but make another excuse as to look a little longer.

Emma’s hair, despite Regina’s attempts, was curling softly around her neck, her shoulders, and even her arm, making Emma look like a child after a long day of running. 

The ride continued this way, Emma twitching her legs and nose, and Regina holding back giggles and the urge to trace the savior’s sleeping face. As the rain made it harder for Regina to see, she leaned forward, her chin almost touching the steering wheel, and squinted as she changed the speed of the windshield wipers.

The rain was coming down harder, completely muffling the music as water hit metal and blurred the road.  Emma stirred again, whining a little while murmuring, _‘turn it down_ ’ and this time, she wiped the drool on the corner of her mouth and slowly opened her eyes. Regina tried not to watch.

“Wow, okay. It’s really raining.” Emma completely sat up and threw her hands up in a stretch. “No wonder I couldn’t sleep.” Her voice was rough and low and it did things to Regina that she couldn’t think about while driving.

“I didn’t want to wake you yet, we’re almost home.” Regina was equally glad and disappointed that they were nearing Storybrooke. Her time alone with Emma, without pining pirates and delicate families, was far too pleasant. 

“I would’ve woken up anyways. Can’t sleep while it’s raining.” Before Regina could ask why that was, Emma continued. “We should stop, actually. I can’t see for shit, how are you driving, Regina?!” Emma’s voice rose to a high pitched, concerned whine.

“I can still see a little further. Should we stop? I’m not sure we have enough for a hotel.” Regina jumped at the idea of one more night away from Storybrooke. 

“Eh, we’ll be fine if we stay at a cheap hotel.  Let me see…” Emma trailed of as she turned on her phone and began looking for nearby hotels. Her tongue poked out in between thin lips, and Regina was having a hard time focusing on the road again. Emma should go back to sleep if Regina wanted to drive in peace. 

“Oh! There’s one around here, actually. Just take the second exit and turn right.” Following Emma’s instructions, both women found themselves in a dingy hotel with washed out walls and a full parking lot. Regina turned the car off and turned to Emma. 

“Alright, how much money do we have left?” After voicing that she had to take a trip to Boston for political reasons Emma didn’t bother to listen to, Emma had offered to accompany her just as long as they went further south and stopped by New York to settle some disputes with Henry’s school. “I had to take him out of school really quickly last time and he has like, a full year of absences because I forgot.” Emma had explained and then continued to talk about all the pit stops they could make on the way.

So far, they were four days into their little road trip, when Regina had accounted for 2, maybe three days if Emma could just breeze by New York. 

“Umm, let me get your purse.” Regina startled at that, sure that she didn’t have anything left in her wallet.

“I thought you had the money.” Emma looked up from where she was going through Regina’s purse, her wide eyes illuminated by the hotel’s neon sign.

“Well, yeah, but I have like a fifty and gas money. I thought you had the money! You’re always good at it and stuff.” Emma’s waving her wallet around now, and Regina’s a little worried that they might be stranded on the road.

“So I’m told. I have maybe twenty dollars in there.” In the end, the total amount they each had was a thrilling $73.67.  Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Emma stared at the cash and then towards Regina and back at the money. “Alright, let’s do this. Just- just follow my lead, okay?” Emma caught her eyes for a second longer before Regina nodded.

Emma took off her jacket and said, “Wait here until I get the bags, okay?” And she opened the door to the pounding rain. The trunk of her car was opened and Emma took out her duffel bag and a suitcase and quickly ran into the building, her bare arms reflecting off the rain.

“Idiot.” Regina was sure they could have both made it inside without any trouble if Emma had allowed her to help. She came running out, her arms thrown helplessly over her head as she opened the passenger side, took her jacket out and then rounded to where Regina was. Emma opened the door and propped the jacket over Regina’s head as she stood from the car.

A slow smile spilled onto Regina’s cheeks as they ran inside, and that’s how the clerk on the counter found them side, one party dripping wet and the other trying to contain a blush. Emma shook off the cold and water as she walked up to the counter and Regina couldn’t help her eyes wandering to where Emma’s shirt clung to her sides and the water rolled off her bare legs.

“Hello, we’re here for a room. Um, under Emma Swan.” The woman gave Emma a once over and pursed her lips, but typed away and stayed silent for a few seconds.

“No Emma Swan here. Are you sure you have the right place?”

The woman rose her eyebrows and sneered, and at this Regina came forwards and snapped, “Yes, we have the right place. Look again.”

“Regina…” Emma warned, placing a hand on Regina’s back.

“No, dear, she needs to-” The woman’s eyes opened and flew to where Emma’s hidden arm behind Regina and back again to Regina’s.

“My apologies, ma’am. Are you two the newlyweds?” Emma and Regina blinked at the woman and stayed quiet before Emma wrapped her arm around Regina’s shoulder and puffed her chest out.

“Yeah, that’s us. The Swans. Here for our room.” Regina automatically leaned into Emma and the flustered woman typed away and quickly gave them a key.

“Enjoy your stay!” Emma and Regina hurried to the poorly lit hallway, tripping over their bags and trying to stay upright. Regina took the key and stepped into the staircase towards the second floor.

“Oh, my god.” Emma wheezed out as she tried catching up to Regina.

“Keep walking!” Regina ordered from the top of the stairs, a slight blush on her cheeks she was hoping would be mistaken as excursion from running up the stairs. As they walked towards the end of the hallways, Emma wouldn’t shut up about the woman and the ‘sweet ass deal’ and how she couldn’t wait to tell Henry what happened. 

“The Swans?! If anything we would be The Mills or Mills-Swan, not Swans.” Regina interrupted as she was opening the door to the room.

“Excuse me, but I think you would make a lovely Swan. It’s got a nice ring to it, Regina Sw-” Emma stopped shortly as Regina froze in front of her, the words hanging awkwardly while she surveyed the room.  The entire room was bathed in a low red that made the bed stand out in the middle of the room. Regina was still standing in the doorway when Emma gave her a hard push and barreled through. 

“Regina, the bed is heart shaped!” And indeed the bed was shaped like a heart. It had red rose petals scattered into another heart on top of it, with a single white rose in the middle.

Emma jumped around a little and noticed the rose, immediately picking it up and turning towards Regina with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“My lady Swan…” She curtsied dramatically and presented the rose to a frozen Regina, who rolled her eyes at a soaking wet Emma. Her hair was plastered around her shoulders and her shirt still clung to her skin, and there were still droplets of water pooling at her collarbones and arms. Emma’s eyes were bright with playfulness and there were ten things Regina could have done, but she simply bowed deeply and took the offered rose.

Emma walked to the table near the bed, where there was even more roses spilling everywhere while Regina looked around. The room was big and spacious, the bed only taking a quarter of it in its enormous size. There was champagne in ice at the foot of the bed, and an array of sweets and roses around the room on top of the rich wooden furniture. It was all very cheesy and cliché and Emma was _eating it up_. 

“Regina! Wife! They have edible underwear!” Emma turned with a smile that spilled onto her cheeks, showing her dimples and full set of teeth. A rush of heat formed at Regina’s chest as she tried in vain not to let the blush seep into her face.

“Yes, well- I guess as the wife it’s only appropriate for you to wear them, dear.” Regina looked at the box Emma was holding, a cheap red box with a woman half-dressed on it, and she quickly looked away, catching Emma’s eyes.

Which was a mistake.

Emma’s smile had turned predatory, the bright joy in her eyes dulling to a somber hunger for a brief second before she shivered in her shorts and sneezed loudly.

“I think it’s best if you showered now. We wouldn’t want you catching a cold on our honeymoon.” What was with her tonight? Was she actually flirting, and badly at that? Regina turned towards her suitcase to save her some humiliation and began unpacking. She heard Emma get her bag and once she closed the door to the restroom, Regina sat down on the bed and took a deep breath.

Out of the four days they’ve stayed in hotels, this was the first night they’d share a room. Regina got dressed for bed and slipped under the rather nice sheets and waited for Emma to get out. She waited for a while, hearing Emma’s humming coming from the closed door, and waited until she shut the faucet off and until she changed with bated breath. 

Emma stopped humming the instant she realized Regina was in bed, and tip toed towards the bed. She stayed with her eyes closed until Emma climbed under the covers and exhaled deeply. 

“Are you awake?” Emma whispered harshly, like a child who hadn't yet learned how to whisper.

“No.” Regina grunted out, mad at getting caught.

“Oh, okay. Well, goodnight Mrs. Swan.” Regina could hear the smile on Emma’s voice as she turned to face her.

“It’s Mrs. Mills. Or Mills-Swan, thank you very much.” Regina huffed out.

“Nah, I like Swan better. Maybe Swan-Mills.” Regina blew a breath out as she considered the name.

“Come on, Regina would having my name really be that bad?” Emma turned to her side to face Regina, and she found herself closer to the savior’s face than she’d been.

Regina drew in a startled breath. 

“No. No, it wouldn’t.” She whispered truthfully. Emma stayed quiet for a second before scooting forward the tiniest bit.

“Good.” 

“Good?” Regina asked reluctantly. Emma could have either dismissed it completely or read too much into it, and it depended on her to choose one of the two.

“Yeah. Good.” Emma whispered back, drawing closer. Regina was talking herself into realizing that it fortunately flew over the savior’s head when she felt Emma’s breath brush her cheek. Emma dropped a quick peck on the tip of Regina’s nose, staying there with her lips pressed on her for a second longer until she drew back a little and settled against Regina’s pillow.

Regina let out a quiet breath and smiled, sure that Emma wouldn’t see her in the dark. 

“Yes, well- goodnight, dear.” Emma chuckled lightly, but remained silent, and the two fell asleep in the middle of the bed.


End file.
